Hunger
by BBShellings
Summary: Ryou Kurokiba reflects on his clash against Megumi on the Autumn Election. Predictably, he won. He also came away with something he hadn't quite expected...hunger. May continue into a larger fic. Rated M to be on the safe side lol. Ryou x Megumi
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hello! So, recently I got super hooked on Shokugeki no Soma. From the jump, I've been a Souma x Megumi kinda girl, but ever since she faced off with Ryou in the Autumn Elections, I've been sailing HARD on the SS KuroGumi (MeguRyo? What is the name of this ship anyway?). Ugh. Anyway, as much as I love this ship it seems to be mega small (probably closer to a dinghy than a ship really). After scouring the webbernets, and reading everything I could possibly find twice, I decided to add some fuel to the fire and write some fics of my own. I haven't written non-academically in EONS so forgive my rustiness. I'm about 80% sure that this will be part of a larger fic, I just need to flesh it out. As it is, it's really just an interpretation of that one episode, but it feels like a jump off into something larger...

Either way, I hope you enjoy it! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some responsibilities to shirk.

* * *

"Oi, that ramen of yours. Let me try it!"

She let out a small shriek at the guttural sound of his voice, but obliged him anyway. Shaky hands fixed him a bowl that he took from her with ease, noodles slurping down his throat before she could even open her mouth to speak. While she chose to compete with a rich fish broth of her own, he was impressed by the delicacy that she somehow managed to maintain. Indeed, he had expected a tender flavour from his soft spoken year-mate but her decision to compete with him in a battle of rich broths was as surprising as it was intriguing. She had hardly seemed worth the effort, however, she proved herself to be more than just Yukihira's clinger on. Much like her ramen, the pure and gentle Tadokoro Megumi hid a certain steel to her that made him curious. His crimson eyes widened slightly as he wondered how far it went. Sipping some of the broth, he savoured the sweetness and depth of flavor as it warmed him on its way down, radiating outwards in a way that warmed his heart and relaxed his tense muscles. That it had such an effect on him, while he was still high on adrenaline only pushed his competitiveness into overdrive. He couldn't help but wonder what effect his soup du poisson would have on the sweet country girl's taste buds. The thought alone drove a shiver up his spine as he slammed her offered bowl one side, fixing a serving of his own. While he was confident in his abilities, he never tired of the reaction to his cuisine. It was nothing short of utter submission and dare he say he was desperate to see what forceful surrender looked like on this already meek girl.

"Here, try this." He insisted roughly, thrusting the bowl into her hands before she even had time to process anything he said. She cowered under the weight of his aura and a light flush graced her face as the aroma engulfed her perception. Shyly, she brought the spoon to her mouth, overly aware of the way he hungrily watched her as he awaited her reaction. Without much ceremony, she popped the spoon in her mouth only to realise how unprepared she had been.

Tadokoro Megumi was no stranger to strong flavours and rich aromas as a student of Toutsuki Academy, but this was on another level. While her own style of cooking was edifying and wholesome, her opponent's was a veritable tour du force that shook her in ways she couldn't explain. She flushed hard as it coursed through her, feeling it strip away at her everyday veneer until it brushed against the hardened edges within her. Much like how his forceful personality brought out her own inner fire, his cooking pushed past any veneer of civility until it hit against whatever lurked deep inside her. She felt her knees buckle as she struggled to keep any lewd noises to herself, fully aware that she was under Kurokiba's watchful eye. Somehow, knowing his wild eyes were on her struggle to maintain composure only served to heighten the experience of the violently flavourful dish, causing her to flush harder. It pierced her to her very core, making her very cognizant of just how delicate she really was as the force of the ocean swept over her. With a stifled moan she opened her eyes, going rigid when she saw Kurokiba smirking at her.

Rather than backing down from his smug expression, her determination steeled against it. Even though she had tasted his culinary dominance, she did not falter. She instead rose to the challenge. Another unexpected twist from the northerner that set him on edge. They had put their knives to rest, yet she still wished to challenge him. It was all he could do not to groan with excitement at the prospect. His expression, he was sure, bordered on manic. But the look she gave in return, sharp and focused set him on edge in a way he hadn't quite experienced before. Nothing less than total submission was his prize for his dishes. Not only had she somehow managed to narrowly avoid giving it to him, she also piqued his appetite.

Long after they announced him winner and the Polar Star ragamuffins had swallowed her up from his view, he realised the look on her face stayed etched in his memory. He returned to the mansion with Lady Alice, and while she chattered away about some of her usual nonsense, his mind turned to the image of Tadokoro that had burned its way into his head. Golden eyes fierce, fists clenched as though ready for a fight and her mouth drawn in a tight line.

"Are you even listening to me?" Alice's voice cut through his reverie. His red eyes slid over to meet hers, set narrowly in the scrunched up expression that was her childish pout. He sighed and made a noise of acknowledgement. She huffed, somehow looking even more childish than before.

"You really should be more attentive to me!" she smacked him across the firm muscle of his arm a few times to accentuate what she was saying before continuing. Content that she had reprimanded him enough, she took on a more pensive expression.

"Today's was an interesting match, wasn't it Ryou-kun?"

"It was, Miss."

"Even though you won, as I expected, who knew Megumi-chan had it in her to pull off something like that?"

He remained silent as she looked up at the sky. He certainly hadn't thought she was capable. She had been one of the worst students in their year after all. And while she posed no real threat to their goals for their Toutsuki academy careers, he couldn't help but think she would prove herself to be a force to reckoned with in time.

After dinner he attempted to recreate Tadokoro's dish under the watchful –and entirely curious- eye of Alice. His take was far more robust, naturally, and while it was delicious it wasn't quite the same. His emphasis on strength of flavor somehow robbed the dish of the touch that made it special. The faint sweetness of vegetables, and the soft, clean notes of the white miso brought something to the dish that he could not understand. He imagined her again, the fierce glint in her eye and the firm line of her mouth, offset by the soft cascade of plaited hair and an innocent white flower hair pin. Even in her more stern moments, there was a softness to her that translated into her food. It was...interesting.

"Tadokoro Megumi, huh."

Alice looked up at him upon hearing the sound of his voice but said nothing. Ryou was deep in thought, clearly analyzing the differences between his dish and Megumi's. While he had always been one to favour boldness, she could see how he could leverage mellower notes to allow him to pack a heavier punch. It would take some experimentation - and she was sure that he knew that- but he had never been the type to run from a bit of hard work. Despite the apathetic look on his face, she could see something in his eyes. His mind was working, feverishly. With an enigmatic smile on her face, Alice left him to his devices. She was curious to see what the Mad Dog would come up with this time and saw fit not to disturb him.

For now.

The rest of the evening had been uneventful. He did his usual workout to rid himself of any left over adrenaline, took a bath and prepared for bed. The wee hours of the morning found him alert as ever. His tired eyes traced the elegant design on the ceiling, waiting for the moment sleep would finally claim him. He dissected the day for what felt like the thousandth time in his head, coming back to Megumi's visage more times than he cared to count. If it wasn't her determination to stand her ground against the relentless onslaught that was him, it was the precarious balance between rich and delicate that underpinned her dish. Sweet, yet inexplicably potent. He wasn't entirely sure if he was describing the chef or the meal at this point, but he knew one thing for sure.

He was hungry to know more.

* * *

Disclaimer: Couldn't remember exactly how the characters use honorifics, so I may have botched that a little bit. Bleh. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed it :D


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So...I've decided to extend this one shot into a larger story! Huzzah! I wanted to spend some time fleshing out Ryou a little bit more in this chapter and I'll get into Megumi more in the next. Since this is likely to be a lengthy story, I really wanted to iron some stuff out. Trying to establish the story's direction from the last chapter was a little bit difficult for me so I'll be picking my way through it for another chapter or two until I can get some momentum going. I have some ideas of how I want this to go, and I'm kind of excited to develop it further! Eeek!

 **More importantly** : Thanks for all the kind reviews you guys have left! Your comments are very much appreciated and I hope you guys continue to like the story!

Here's to chapter 2!

* * *

That night had been the most peaceful night's sleep he ever had.

His eyes drifted open slowly, savouring the way his bed enveloped his body as though trying to embrace him. He had been sleeping on the same mattress since he started at Toutsuki but never recalled feeling the way he did upon waking. The weak sunlight of the early morning filtered through a crack in the heavy curtains, casting soft shadows in his room. His decoration sense could best be described as spartan, the massive expanse of the room made all the more evident by a distinct lack of furniture. Where Alice favoured the dramatic, grandiose and colourful, he leaned more towards the simple. His furnishings consisted of one table, a chair and a wardrobe. Against the wall was a large print out of a photograph of the sea taken from the pub he worked in. The only reason it was even there in the first place was because Alice had insisted it be there, and most days he hardly took notice of it. This morning, however, he sat on the edge of his bed and took a good look at it. It had been a gloomy day the picture was taken. The skies were overcast and the sea looked to be somewhat unfavourable. Boats lined the edge of the image and one or two were dotted along the otherwise clear horizon. In his mind he could almost hear the boisterous laughter of the sailors as they burst through his door. He could just about smell the salt air and the scent of stale liquor that hung around some of the men. That had always been the closest thing to home for him but he never really belonged there. It had always been his reality, yet this morning it made his chest feel heavy and hollow.

"Tch." he made a face before leaving to find breakfast. The hallways of the mansion were lit though there was no sign of life, which he was grateful for. While he was usually quite alert in the mornings he had woken up in a strange mood and did not feel for company. Not that Lady Alice would be up at this hour, but she was always full of surprises. Flicking a switch, he illuminated the kitchen and began to prepare breakfast for himself. Or he would have, if he knew what he wanted. He was hardly a picky eater, but this morning he found himself feeling for something with a light flavour.

"Whatever that means." he grumbled to himself, quickly throwing together a chicken stir fry. He looked at the pan blankly for a moment before putting on some noodles to go with it. The broth was simple and savoury but light. That breakfast had been one of the most enjoyable one's he'd had in a while.

* * *

Days later, after catching himself craving yet another light breakfast, he realised that he actually liked her ramen dish. He didn't just appreciate how it was put together, how the flavours intertwined or the mouth feel of it. He had also enjoyed the way it made him _feel_. It was an odd experience for him, given how he wasn't prone much to sentimentality. It was rare for him to find a chef he respected enough to say he admired. Rarer still for him to genuinely like a dish. He gave credit where it was due, depending on his mood, and could appreciate another's technique or use of flavour. But for him to move beyond appreciation and yearn to savour a dish again was unheard of. He couldn't even imagine subconsciously recreating a meal either. That Tadokoro was the one to make such a dish was unfathomable. Just a few days ago, he hadn't even respected her, let alone registered her general existence. Now, he had to rethink his stance on her.

He hadn't seen her much since she suffered defeat at his hands. Mostly glimpses of her in the hallways on her way to class, accompanied by either Yukihira or two girls he assumed were her friends. From what he saw, she was the same clumsy soft spoken girl. It was as if she had never faced off against him. That she seemed so unaffected in the face of his cuisine, while he was so deeply moved by hers provoked a strange kind of ire in him. He couldn't conceive a world where that was possible. And yet, he thought as he looked around him, everything seemed to continue as if normal. It was almost as if they weren't waiting for two chefs to eventually take everything they had in them and put it onto a plate to see who was the last man standing. That the world around him seemed so unaffected by such an electric atmosphere bothered the shit out of him.

"This place is too complacent."

Alice registered the sound of his voice and turned her face to him. Her silver eyebrows were quirked upwards and her eyes had a slyness about them.

"My, my. Life at Toutsuki is too complacent for the mad dog? And I thought you just had fun with Megumi-chan."

His eyes narrowed at the mention of her name in what he knew to be Alice's teasing voice. She was obviously trying to provoke him by bringing up the other girl, but he wouldn't take the bait.

"I don't know how anyone is supposed to put up with this waiting." He huffed slightly, much to her amusement. She knew him better than anyone. Waiting around like this was hardly something that he was suited for. He was itching to get back on the stage and face down his next opponent, Hayama Akira, before going on to snatch the top place.

"Hmm. You'd better not lose to this Hayama guy Ryou-kun, or all your big talk will go to waste." She looked at him with that stubbornly childish look he'd grown accustomed to over the years. Even when she was trying to encourage him, she had to be childish about it. Internally, he rolled his eyes.

"I won't."

And he didn't.

Technically.

But he didn't win either.

* * *

Megumi felt like she could finally relax into her seat after Souma won his Election clash cum Shokugeki against Mimasaka. She had faith that he would pull through, but there were some moments where her breath caught in her throat. But ever the reckless showman, he managed to reverse what seemed like a done deal at the last moment to snatch victory out of nothing. She closed her eyes and allowed herself a deep breath to settle her nerves. The next match was sure to start soon and it was sure to be just as exciting as the one that preceded it.

"How did Yukihira get up there?" Megumi started at the sound of Ikumi's voice and followed her gaze to see Souma sitting quite comfortably next to Erina. Between that, and the hint of jealousy in Ikumi's voice, Megumi felt a sharp pain in her chest.

"Ah..."

The crowd began to roar and her attention changed from her disappointment to the two boys entering the stage. Hayama Akira's presence was elegant and sophisticated. While his was a restrained entrance, it still had a way of commanding the eye. Her eyes flickered to a dark, broad shouldered figure also making his way into the arena. Kurokiba cut an imposing figure, even from a difference, and somehow, having been privy to that up close made him appreciate that even more. He had yet to put his bandana on, but she felt as if she just watched a tiger stalking its prey. They took up their positions and eyed each other down. To call either of them boys seemed like a gross injustice, she decided. Their maturity was far above that of their fellow students, as was evident by their craft.

Western style dishes was announced as the theme for their match. Hayama had chosen to cook duck. Kurokiba took out an impressive specimen of an eel. And without further ceremony, their match began. Megumi watched Kurokiba make quick work of the eel as though enthralled. To say she admired his technique would have been an understatement. She knew her way around fish and was no shrinking violet when it came to working with knives, yet his knife work was beautiful. In a strange way, she was glad that she had lost to him, if it meant she got a chance to really watch him work. He was so quick and precise, with a level of power she hadn't seen outside of the docks. It was odd, being reminded of home by her ex-rival. The way his muscles flexed and twitched reminded her of seeing the men at the docks hauling in a fresh catch in the summer. She remembered the others mentioning that he too had come from a harbour town after their match and in that instant, she could see it. Even though his expression was terrifying, to say the least, she could almost sense it in his movements. He felt at home among seafood, and took comfort from manipulating it into one of his potent culinary concoctions. The corners of her lips turned upwards slightly.

"Megumi-chan!" She started and the spell was broken. She turned to Ryoko, who was watching her with an odd glint in her eyes.

"Ah...yes?"

"We were wondering who you think would win." Ryoko offered. Megumi paused as if to think.

"Yeah, though I think we have an idea of who you want to win." Yuki chimed in, waggling her eyebrows suggestively before sneaking a grin at Ryou. Catching onto the insinuation, she coloured.

"Eh? N-no...that's, t-that's not it a-at all!" Waving her arms as though trying to physically clear the misunderstanding. In the distance, they heard Kurokiba shouting at Hayama. Their eyes looked down at the stage before turning back to Megumi.

"Man, Kurokiba-kun is scary...but he is kinda hot, now that I think about it." Yuki held her chin as she looked back at the stage.

"I see what you mean," Ryoko added, "he's like the strong silent type, but a bad boy at the same time." Megumi's eyes jumped from one face to the other, blood rushing to her face til it was almost beet red.

"W-wha...uh. W-what?" her voice was shrill. Ikumi turned to look at them concerned.

"What the heck are you guys talking about?"

"Fufufu, our Megumicchi is finally growing up." Yuki said with a sigh. Ryoko turned a sly smirk at Megumi who spluttered in response. Ikumi blinked owlishly at them before turning her gaze back to the stage. Megumi fumbled with her skirt hem a little, turning her attention away from her two grinning dorm mates and back onto the stage. Her heart started to beat fast as Ryou came into her line of sight. Suddenly self conscious about watching him, her gaze flicked over to Hayama instead. He wiped a fine film of sweat from his forehead before lightly dusting something with spices. His movements were meticulous and graceful, almost soothingly so. His fine features hardly betrayed the immense pressure he must have been under. She idly wondered what she must have looked like on that stage, trying to maintain composure when Ryou was being scary. The same as she always did, she figured.

Her eyes drifted over to Ryou, his body tense with concentration as he put his vegetables to sautee. In moments like that she thought he wasn't all that bad. He was just passionate about flavour. It just so happened that his passion could boil over in...scary ways. He moved something off the open flame and looked into the crowd. Their eyes connected for a moment and her breath caught in her throat. The corners of his lips curled upwards into a smirk that sent a shiver down her spine. The look he gave her was downright predatory and it didn't matter the amount of physical distance between them. His gaze froze her in her seat and she could tell, even from this distance, that he relished it. While she had felt his eyes on her ever since they clashed, this was the first time their eyes made four and it drove the air out of her. She blinked and in an instant their connection was broken, the air rushing back into her lungs. Her chest heaved as she tried to gain control of her breathing and a light flush dusted her cheeks. Yuki's sharp eyes darted from the black clad figure on stage to her friend and opened her mouth to speak only to have Ryoko turn a knowing smile to her. She gingerly rested a hand on the smaller girl's leg, giving it a gentle squeeze before shaking her head slightly. They looked at each other for a moment, Yuki flashing a cheeky grin to match Ryoko's sly one. Beside them, Megumi hardly stirred. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

The crowd erupted with a range of reactions. After a tense battle, the judges were at an impasse as to who should win the match. In the end, it was decided that it was to be a draw, making the final the first three way clash in the history of the Autumn Election.

To say Ryou was pissed was an understatement.

Draws didn't exist in his world. It was eat or be eaten and everything in him was honed to be the predator who sat at the top of the food chain. So how could he fail to deliver the decisive blow to an opponent like Hayama? He clenched his fists until he was white at the knuckles, rage swirling violently throughout his body. To be faced with a judgement like this was not just a grave insult to him. It was a question, pointed and sharp that slid between his ribs and pierced his lungs. His next breath was shallow and ragged as his thoughts raced. He was spooked but his uncertainty coalesced into anger. Due to his failure in crushing the spice bastard, he was now in a three way match up with him and that transfer kid, Yukihira. He wasn't about to fail again. A hush fell over the stadium as their senpai hammered into a giant block of ice. Inside it lay a single pacific saury of immaculate condition. Under entirely different circumstances he would have smirked at his good fortune. Pacific saury was a fish popular in pedestrian dishes and the qualities it held at this time of year made it extremely aromatic. He was in his element, but so were they. He wasn't sure sure when they had come to stand so close together but their proximity to him was making his blood boil.

"Ah...Souma-kun," A soft voice found its way into his thoughts, pulling him back to reality, "congratulations on winning your match. I knew you could do it." Hearing those words fall from Tadokoro's mouth somehow made his stomach lurch.

"Heh, thanks. I couldn't really have done it without you guy's help ya know? And thanks for the tea." He turned to see Yukihira grinning down at the petite girl who beamed politely up at him. Under the flooded lighting of the stage, her skin glowed almost pearlescent, contrasted by the deep midnight blue tones of her braided hair. In her unruly bangs, he caught the glimmer of her white flower hairpin. Her eyes opened and those glittering amber orbs found him almost instinctively. She turned away from Yukihira though seemed almost shy about facing him fully. Her slender fingers were lightly tangled together as if she could not decide whether to clasp her hands. It took him a moment to notice that she was looking at the floor rather demurely before redirecting her gaze at him. The shyness of it contrasted sharply with the hard stare she had given him the last time their eyes locked on that stage. It reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"That was a g-good match, K-kurokiba-kun." He was loath to admit that hearing those words soothed something inside of him. Unthinkingly, he relaxed a little.

"A draw isn't worth celebrating." He turned his murderous gaze on Hayama. "I've seen through you, spice bastard. Next time, I'm going to bring you down for sure." The other boy glowered in response. Good.

He felt the sweat laden bandana slide off his head and his energy dropped as though he had been powered off by a switch. Nimble fingers snagged the back of his collar before tugging gently to pull him away. Somewhere behind him he could hear Alice humming a light tune to herself.

"As fun as it's all been, it's time for us to go home!"

He tilted his hand as a way of signalling farewell. Hayama's green eyes bore holes into him before Yukihira roped him into a brief conversation. Tadokoro's smile seemed somewhat embarrassed, for whom he wasn't entirely sure, but she waved earnestly at him before turning to some students who had come to join her and Yukihira. After a while he righted himself, taking his case from Alice and carrying it over his shoulder. She allowed him to walk ahead of her, letting him navigate the space as he saw fit. He appreciated it.

"Milady, once we get back can we have a cook off? If I leave things hanging in the air like this, I won't be able to sleep until the finals..."

She obliged. That night after settling on a recipe, he chopped, seasoned and sauteed his frustrations into his dish against Alice, featuring a fearsome fish fillet. He won, but even then he couldn't quell the restlessness that had taken root inside of him. He wanted something hearty that would warm the tension out of his adrenaline wired body. Something that would help him relax, if only a little. Something light, and sweet. After washing up and a long hot shower, he made his way to bed.

Sleep came easily to him that night, as did dreams of pale, radiant skin and deep blue hair.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! This story (and snippets that I'm hoping to write for it) are haunting my sleep, so I'll hopefully be able to keep updating regularly :P See you soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I LIVE! Happy New Year and what's not! Major apologies to you guys. I've had most of this chapter sitting on for the better part of months, but to find the energy to finish it appeared nigh impossible. Meetings, the holidays, and just life in general you know? Anyway, I thought I'd go for a Megumi-centric chapter this time, though it came out nothing like I had imagined when I started. This fic is taking on a very strange little life of its own already lol.

Here's to chapter 3 (finally)

* * *

Another night found Megumi trying to fall into a fitful sleep.

Normally, she would be tossing while thinking about her grades, plagued with deep worry that she would be sent home a failure. This night found her still in the bed, eyes glued to the ceiling as she replayed the image of Kurokiba Ryou in her head. His lips were curled upwards in a smirk and his eyes shone with devious intent. A fresh wave of embarrassment swallowed her as she thought about how she froze in his gaze like a small rabbit staring down a wild dog.

He was toying with her. Just as he had when they faced off against each other. She remembered the weight of his hungry gaze on her and flushed violently. It wasn't just that he was clearly her culinary superior, he _did_ things to her. As much as she wanted to be upset about losing to him or at him for mocking her so openly, she couldn't help but notice how _beautiful_ he was. Or was he handsome? His features rode the line between pretty and rugged, though the way his hair framed and fell in his face did little to discourage her from calling him beautiful. She made an exasperated noise. She had come to Toutsuki to learn and become a better chef, not become entangled with feelings and crushes. She didn't even have that much experience with boys to begin with: most of her knowledge on romance came from shoujo manga. Not that she'd needed to know much before since her classmates hardly paid attention to her before. And in comparison to her female peers, she felt rather plain looking and meek. Ever since her face off with Ryou people seemed to take more notice now, but it didn't stop him from being out of her league in the kitchen. Or out of her league in general. She needed to make peace with her apparent attraction to her ex-rival. The heels of her palm pressed into her eye sockets as if trying to force the thoughts out of her brain.

In the eerie stillness of her room she could hear the quiet click of a door being closed. She listened, frozen still, as someone rustled near her door clearly fumbling with something before a creak sounded in the stairwell letting her know they were leaving. Curious, she threw off her covers and stalked her way to the door. She eased it open just enough to see a familiar red-headed figure picking his way down the stairs. With him he had a cooler and a small coal grill. It didn't take long for her to put two and two together.

"Souma-kun?" The boy in question turned to the sound of her voice, mild concern his expression when he saw her.

"Ah, Megumi. Did I wake you up?"

She shook her head. She had been up all night apparently but Souma certainly didn't need to know that.

"I was already up. Are you heading to the fish market?"

He grinned cheekily at her and she swore her heart fluttered. If she could blame anyone for her current predicament it would be Souma. The red-head shook up Toutsuki with his arrival and Megumi shook along with it. Before Souma, she didn't see herself surviving their first semester let alone making it to the Autumn Election stage. Her confidence grew by leaps and bounds with him by her side, even if that meant falling into a few misadventures along the way. And as she found herself no longer being crushed by the pressures of their prestigious academy, she found time to finally appreciate the things around her. Like the handsome red-head with the cheeky smile and charming personality. And the gaggle of girls, and guy, that was drawn to him. Somewhere in that melee she realised that Souma was too involved in his goals to notice her, and even if he wasn't she would clearly be low on his list of prospects. Her first crush at Toutsuki was out of her league, and now her second seemed to be even more so. She huffed a sigh of frustration at her taste in men, but he didn't seem to notice. Typical Souma.

"Hehe, yeah. I wanted to start testing recipes today, you know?" She hummed to the affirmative.

"Is it ok if I come along? I haven't been to a fish market in a while."

"Sure. Could always use the company." Megumi struggled to keep hold of her excitement as he grinned at her. It had been some time since it was just the two of them, and crush aside, Souma was still one of her closest friends at Toutsuki.

"Great, just give me a minute to get ready." She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye as she ducked back into her room quickly. When she popped back out to go to the bathroom, she could hear Souma's rustling down the stairs. In what felt like record time she was showered, dressed and ready to go. She crept down the noisy stairway and joined Souma as he stood in the doorway. Although it was still pretty dark out the view was still breathtaking. The visible mountains were silhouetted against the night sky and the lights of nearby buildings and city twinkled like a million jewels. She smiled gently at the scene before turning her eyes to Souma. His gaze was steady and burning with determination. It sent thrills of excitement down her spine.

"This is where everything changes." Souma muttered to himself. She couldn't agree more.

* * *

What was meant to be an uneventful trip to the fish market turned into anything but that. Just when Souma made a good selection, they spotted Ryou and Alice. His scarlet gaze fell on them hard, lingering on Megumi before flicking to Souma. Behind him, Alice eyed them all with a sense of mischievous interest. Before she knew it they ended up in a duel to see who could judge fish the best. Between Ryou winning their contest with an inferior looking selection and finding out about Hayama's uncanny ability to select the best catch without even looking, Souma came away looking more concerned than she'd ever seen him. Since then Souma had been back to the market once, opting to spend his time devising a way to maximise his flavours. When he wasn't muttering about smoking the fish, he was on about fermentation and other curing techniques. Megumi figured it would be best if she played a more low key supportive role to her friend. Besides, she had other things to think about. Namely what Ryou said to them after his face off.

"I've worked everyday to make sure I don't lose my ability to choose the best ingredients. I'll never fall behind someone who judges fish with half hearted knowledge."

His voice, that cool baritone, was awash with such an unashamed display of aggression that her stomach knotted just recalling it. Then he looked at her, his eyes sparkling with the intensity of a naked flame. He looked so angry. Was he angry at her? Was he upset because he thought she was an unworthy opponent? It set all her insecurities on edge and sent her running to eagerly caress the familiar edges of her charm for academic success. But watching Souma put so much energy into closing the gap with his competition made her want to do so as well. And so today was her third day at the fish market, but the first by herself. Had it been anywhere other than a fish market, she might have been nervous but being a harbour town girl meant that she at least had enough confidence to do this alone. She paused in front a container full of amberjack, content to survey the fish for a moment as she lightly tapped her lips with her index finger. She pulled her small cooler a bit closer to her, careful not to obstruct the path around her.

"If I were you, I would go for the one in the back to the left. It's got great colouring and a decent fat content." As if instructed, Megumi's eyes darted over to the fish in question.

"That is a good choice, but I think I'd want something with a more mature flavour." Megumi mumbled absentmindedly, eyes continuing to comb the tray.

"Oh. Hmmm. How about that one in the middle then?" Amber eyes drifted back to the middle and found the recommendation to be satisfactory.

"Thanks..." The sound of her voice died in her throat as she looked up into the beaming face of a fisherwoman. She flushed with embarrassment at not having acknowledged her before.

"Ah, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention!"

"No worries dear. I'll take that as a compliment to my fish." The older woman winked at her.

"You're one of the Toutsuki students, right? I'm sure I've seen you round this market before."

"Ah, yes. Tadokoro Megumi." She bowed in greeting and felt slight relief when the older woman returned the gesture.

"Takahashi Hitomi. Nice to meet you Megumi-chan." The older woman grinned earnestly at Megumi, her grip as strong as any fisherman's. She vaguely remembered her face from Souma's showdown a few days ago. Megumi smiled back shyly, fumbling a bit with her response.

"I tell you what, Megumi-chan. Since you seem to like my fish so much, I'll give you your first set of fish free. How's that sound?"

"A-are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense! It's always a pleasure to have you Toutsuki students around. Plus you're just so darn cute..." Megumi blushed slightly at the compliment. She may have received it often since moving to Tokyo but she never could get used to it. Before she knew it, Hitomi had packaged a few fish for her and was offering them over the counter. Megumi reluctantly took them from her and put them into her cooler. They spoke a little bit about recipes for the fish before Megumi's phone alarm went off. She went on her way, bidding Hitomi a farewell, pleased that she was able to make a new friend that day.

* * *

With four days left til the final showdown, the atmosphere on campus was getting tenser but Megumi somehow managed to find solace in the energy of the fish market. She didn't travel with her cooler this day, opting instead to just take a look. It didn't help that she was running a bit late either. Having to lug around a cooler full of fish would only slow her down in the long run. Her gaze shifted from the shellfish before her to scan the crowded market. Since she had gotten into the habit of coming to the market in the mornings, she had also begun the habit of looking for Ryou among the throngs of people. She thought she had spotted him when a voice in front of her made her head snap in that direction.

"Eh? Megumi-chan, where's your boyfriend this morning?" Megumi looked at Hitomi with surprise.

"Boyf-friend?" An image of Ryou began to form across her mind but she squashed it down.

"Ah yeah. The red head that comes in with you sometimes."

"You mean the one with the scar on his eyebrow?" Another fisherman, Sanosuke chimed in. Megumi looked between the two of them, horror clear on her features.

"S-souma-kun isn't my boyfriend, obach-chan." she hated how shrill her voice sounded.

"Oh, he isn't? But you two get along so well I just thought he was. Such a shame." Megumi beamed an embarrassed smile at them as they offered their condolences.

"Ah, but that means you can date Ryou-chan instead!" Sanosuke called out, clapping Megumi on her shoulder as she spluttered with her beet red face. Over her brief time at the market she had realised the fishermen were avid gossips and teases, but this was surely going too far.

"You need to stop teasing Megumi-chan! Can't you see that her face is all red?"

"Ah, but Ryou-chan is quite the looker isn't he?" The other fisherman nodded in agreement and Megumi tried to calm herself down. After their banter, she couldn't find it in herself to look for him in the crowd, but she didn't have to.

"Isn't that Ryou-chan over there?" Megumi and Sanosuke looked over to where Hitomi pointed. Sure enough there was Ryou, apparently unaccompanied as he eyed some fish. He had a bag in hand and it looked as though he was on his way out of the market. The lively banter of the fisherman all but died down as they watched him. After bidding farewell to the vendor, he walked away. He looked angry; his jaw was tight, his whole body seemed tense.

"Ryou-chan looks rather tense, wouldn't you say?"

"Heh, I guess the nerves are finally getting to him." Megumi's brow furrowed in confusion at that. She looked at his face again and saw nothing but irritation radiating off him in waves. Noticing her confusion, they chuckled.

"Ryou-chan can be a bit stoic, but when you see him as often as we do, you can figure out his expressions. He may look a bit angry, but he's definitely nervous."

"Heh, yeah. Ryou-chan seems like the type to just channel everything into being mad just to get things done."

"Eh? What do you mean by that?" Megumi hated to pry, but the question was out before she could stop herself. Sanosuke looked at Hitomi, who in turn gave an expression that was half grimace, half smile.

"I don't really know the details, but Ryou-chan seems to have had a hard time growing up. Not that he lets it get him down, bless him. He just puts it all into his cooking."

Sanosuke nodded, wiping a knife clean. Megumi looked thoughtful, a pregnant silence hanging between them. She turned to look at him again. The set of his brow was stern, and she thought that perhaps should see what they were referring to. Or maybe not. Something about his expression did strike her as being familiar however. She had definitely seen it before. Before she had time to think about it, the alarm on her phone went off, letting her know it was time to leave the market. She turned back to the two vendors, who had since picked up another line of conversation. The beeping grew progressively louder, catching their attention.

"Time for you to go is it?" Megumi nodded to the affirmative.

"Well I guess we'll see you tomorrow, yes?"

"Yes! Tomorrow." She smiled at them. With a quick bow, she excused herself.

* * *

Megumi soon worked out a rhythm going to the market and then to school. As the days passed, she found it progressively easier to make her way down to the market. The atmosphere was energising in a way that prepared her for the tension at school. She saw Souma less and less, save for the morning he came with her to the market to get his last set of saury and some times when she brought him something to eat. While she didn't get to talk to her new fisher friends, she noticed them gesturing at her from across the market. Hitomi even gave her a thumbs up, making her blush and stumble into Souma at one point. She hoped that they were a lot more subtle when it came to talking about Ryou, but something told her that she shouldn't put her money on it. So she took it upon herself to be more subtle. If she ever saw him, she was sure not to let her gaze linger for too long. She waved if they ever made eye contact and if their paths ever crossed, she spoke. Her heart seemed to jolt slightly every time her gaze fell on him. So much for not indulging her crush, she thought. Over that time she had taken note of Ryou's expressions. The slight way his lips curled upwards when he engaged a fisherman for a long while. The way his eyes bore holes into the fish as he scoured the day's catch. The faint arch in his eyebrow as he regarded Alice on the days she accompanied him. While she wasn't as good as the fishermen, she was coming to see past the bored, sometimes hostile, exterior to appreciate his more nuanced expression. She wasn't sure when that type of knowledge would come in handy, but she would be lying if she said she didn't find him fascinating.

"You should watch where you're going Tadokoro." Megumi flushed at the sound of his voice, eyes wide as she turned to face him.

"Kurokiba-k-kun! I'm sorry," she shuffled out of his way as best she could. "G-g-good morning!" Kurokiba huffed, one corner of his lips curling faintly upward. Or so she thought, as the expression was gone as soon as she noticed it. He tipped his head in lieu of greeting her verbally. Her eyes fell on the bags that he carried over his shoulder. She wondered absently if he wasn't cold with the fish pressing into his back, but opted not to ask him.

"Yukihira didn't come today either. I'd say that he got cold feet and dropped out but knowing that guy, he's got something up his sleeve." His scarlet eyes scanned her body, noting her two empty hands and lack of bag. "He hasn't sent you to run his errands?" Megumi shook her head reflexively.

"I'm actually here for my own reasons."

"Hmm?"

"I...I thought about what you said, about honing your selection skills by coming to the market everyday." His eyebrow quirked at that. She was rambling, but couldn't find it in herself to stop. "It made me realise that I'd been neglecting something important, so I thought I would exercise that skill too." Her brows were knitted in concentration as she peered at the fish, slender fingers resting gently on the edge of the crate. She hoped that he wouldn't be able to see her blushing at this angle.

"Really?" She peered at him through her eyelashes and nodded slightly, making a small affirming noise. Any pretense of bravado was gone, as embarrassment washed over her. The expression on his face softened, with the tight line that was his lips curling faintly at the corners. She found the expression oddly endearing and wondered if that was what he was trying to communicate.

"Y-yes. There's a lot of things I need to work on if I'm going to really cook my best." Her grip on the edge of the crate tightened as well as her jaw. Her gaze, a hard amber, fell on him. He returned her intense look with one of his own.

"I know people were shocked by how well I did. They didn't expect much of me. I want that when I step on the stage with someone like you, I'm considered an equal."

His faint smile turned to a smirk as his eyes narrowed.

"Interesting. Well, I'm ready for a rematch whenever you are, Tadokoro." His voice had taken on a coarser texture that left goosebumps on her flesh as it washed over her body. Rather than look down on her as she thought he would, he seemed genuinely excited by the prospect. Something about that made her feel light inside and she smiled at him, nodding in agreement. They stayed like that for a moment before a soft buzzing took her attention to her phone.

"Ah, looks like I'd better get going." she bowed again. "Do your best today at the finals Kurokiba-kun." His jaws clenched and a troubled look took up residence in his eyes. She wondered if she had said something wrong.

"I always do my best."

Without another word he pushed past her, venturing further into the market. She threw one last look his way before the crowd swallowed him whole.

* * *

When the night of the final came, she could hardly believe the result. Watching them cook against each other was a sight to behold and if the aroma was anything to go by, a taste to behold as well. As she had expected, the match was quite tense. Souma in particular had stunned after he opted not to start with a fresh fish, though the others were hardly behind. Ryou delivered another powerful dish and Hayama surprised with an elegant reduction of his usual spice offering. And in the end, Hayama proved to be victorious.

It was obvious Souma was disappointed especially having realized that it was due to his lack of a specialty. Hayama made a gracious and oddly sentimental winner, stunning the crowd when he embraced his mentor even as he tried to play off his embarrassment afterwards.

And Ryou?

He was livid.

Or that's what she thought at first. His body language hummed with a tension she had never seen before and he practically snarled at the judges. But then she saw it. For a split second, Ryou's wild eyes weren't ablaze with anger but with what she could only describe as panic. Those crimson orbs fell on Souma and lingered on Hayama before his brow clenched tight again and he howled fresh. In between his ranting and yelling, Megumi could hear the concerned whispers from the crowd.

"What a nutjob."

"He's a great chef but what a scary guy."

"How does Alice-san even put up with him."

She looked into the crowd but never seemed to catch anyone in the act of badmouthing him. Her fists tightened in her lap as she felt her ire raising. They may not have been friends, but she felt an odd sense of camaraderie growing between them. Strange, how only a few days previous she had been the one to defend her friends to him. He was hard to read like the fishermen had told her, but at the very least she could see he put his everything into his cooking and if for nothing else he deserved respect for that. Her gaze fell on him again as she remembered what he said to her earlier.

"I always do my best."

More than a rebuttal, it was a statement of intent used to convince them both. That explosion of flavor, she slowly began to realise, was only a manifestation of his will. Whatever he put on a plate was charged with his passions and energy. Every chef puts a piece of themselves into their cooking. For Megumi, it was her tenderness and reverence towards her home that she bestowed on her diner. For Ryou, it seemed to be a fierce determination to conquer whoever found his cuisine in front of them. More than his passion, his cooking was meant to leave only one man standing…him. And as she watched Alice wrangle him closer to Souma and Hayama for photo opportunities, she couldn't imagine what it must feel like for him.

Based on the look on his face, it appeared he couldn't either.

After the Autumn Elections, Ryou seemed to be sparse especially at the fish market. Were it not for the fishermen, she would have wondered if he even bothered coming still. It had been four days before she saw him again. He stood a way off, hands in his pockets as he idly combed his gaze over the day's catch. If possible, under his eyes looked even darker than normal and his body was still tense and wired. She drifted along with the crowd, getting closer to him while he stood as though rooted to the spot. She approached him, but before she could say anything, he beat her to the punch.

"Tadokoro."

She nodded and bowed slightly in response, inching a bit closer to him so that she could listen better. Her eyes fell on the fish in the tray before him. It was full of saury, though he seemed to only be interested in staring into the space around it. Rather than look into his face, she redirected her gaze to the fish.

"Your dish was impressive at the finals." she finally said, after a small eternity passed between them. From the corner of her eye she could see his grip tighten.

"You came to mock me then?" He still didn't look at her and she was taken aback by his response.

"Eh? N-no way. I mean it. The way you handled the eel alone..." a slight flush coloured her cheeks and she prayed he didn't notice. He turned slightly to look at her and she mimicked him, peering up at him. His gaze sharpened from the blank stare he was subjecting the fish too. He studied her face intently, eyes piercing her own as though he was trying to see into the bottom of her soul. It rooted her to the ground, unable and a little unwilling to look away. His body gradually became more tense and his eyes narrowed into a mild squint. After a while he straightened up and relaxed a little as though he had found what he was looking for.

"Show me how to make your ramen." She blinked, caught quite off-guard by the forthrightness of his demand.

"Wh-eh?"

"Your ramen. I want to see how you made it."

She blinked again, brain failing to process the turn their conversation had taken. She searched his face for answers only to receive a delicately raised eyebrow. A million thoughts cropped up in her mind, many half formed. His jaw was clenched so tight she worried he may crack a tooth. On the surface he seemed quite calm but she was slowly gaining confidence in her ability to read his moods. It had helped that she had seen it before. Like Hitomi said, it was how he looked when he was nervous. He had regarded her with that same expression before, but at least now she could put a finger to it. How she could possibly make _him_ of all people nervous was beyond her, but she stowed that thought away for later. Right now he was asking her for her help. Without much further thought, she agreed.

He studied her face a while longer before nodding slightly and taking his hands out of his pockets to stretch.

"Meet me at Alice's place. 5PM tomorrow." he said as he walked off.

She made a noise of affirmation, watching him walk into the crowd only to disappear.

"This is where everything changes." she mumbled to herself. She sincerely hoped it was for the better. 

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for your patience. I'll be travelling soon so I won't have much time to work on the next chapter but here's to it being uploaded in less time than this one was.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** After a small eternity, I have returned! I am SO incredibly sorry for allowing the fic to go dormant. Life has been...a lot. But! I'm trying to give myself more time to write (lest I go completely and utterly mad!) so I'll be working to upload more chapters over the next few months. This chapter was actually part of a larger one I had been writing, but I broke it into two pieces cuz it was getting super long. The longer it got, the more I wanted to rework it, the less likely I was going to ever finish it. I'm not 100% happy with it, but in the interest of actually progressing the story I'm putting it out anyway. Hopefully, the other half more than makes up for this one!

Also, thank you all so, so, so, SO much for all your wonderful comments. They really mean a lot. Here's to hoping that I can continue to live up to your glowing reviews!

* * *

For most of his life, Ryou had been considered unpredictable.

It didn't take him long to realise that to many that meant they didn't really understand him or what he was inclined to do. Sometimes, however, he felt inclined to do things that not even he could explain.

This was currently one of those times.

After the Autumn Election finale, he found himself in what could only be described as a tailspin. Fired up from his loss against Hayama - and it _was_ a loss in his books - he had been on edge in a way that he had never been before. Even though he was a sore loser, he understood losing. It meant he had to get better. To fail to dominate, but also not lose outright felt like an indictment on his conviction. It was the stale, limp taste of complacency that coated his tongue for the first time and he hated it. To be tied with someone as restrained as Hayama was surely the kick in the ass that he needed to take him higher. He needed more strength and depth of flavour. He needed even _more_ passion in his food. He was convinced that this would be his key to victory.

He could not have been more wrong.

As his cuisine became more ferocious, Hayama's became even more restrained. Refined, even. And that meticulous, almost dispassionate approach secured him a win. Ryou was left in the dust, barely edging out the transfer kid, Yukihira. To say he was shaken would be an understatement. After they announced the results, everything became a blur. He was in a rage. At least that's what he told himself. Being in a rage was a lot easier to rationalise. He couldn't face what it meant to feel inadequate and the threat that posed. He couldn't even set foot in a kitchen that night. Instead, he put himself through a gruelling workout that seemed to go on forever. When it was done, he showered and made his way to the fish market. In the wee hours of the morning there were hardly any patrons and still so much work to be done. Everyone was so focused on their own tasks that there was no one to bother him or ask about the final battle. He was glad for that. As more people began to filter in, he left. He continued through this haze, occasionally taking his frustrations out in the kitchen.

It had been a few days, he wasn't entirely sure how many, before his routine returned to normal. Before he saw Megumi again.

He wasn't sure what came over him when he asked her to make ramen for him. When he looked her in the eye, he didn't see pity or fear; none of her resolve or even her usual timidity. In her honeyed gaze he saw nothing but her sincerity and earnestness. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, no doubt from her admitting genuine admiration for someone who was her rival. It seemed to come so easily to her. Her sincerity came just as easily as her steely resolve, or anything else he knew about her. With each encounter she showed him something new, something different. Just like her ramen. The words were out of his mouth before he knew it, and her own sense of confusion mirrored his shock at having said it. But he would be damned if he was going to back down now.

"Your ramen. I want to see how you make it."

In those moments before her response, he had never felt so vulnerable. He watched as so many emotions flickered across her face. She searched his face as well, looking for any hint of mockery in his request. He never thought he would see the day when having her look at him would put him on the spot, but there they were. He looked back at her, taking his time in studying her features. Her large innocent eyes, her plush cheeks, delicate complexion and surprisingly full lips.

"I'll do it."

The sound of her voice brought him back to the present. He nodded, to let her know that he heard her. He told her to meet him at Alice's and made a brisk exit. He couldn't bare to feel more vulnerable than he already did.

His day continued as normal. After his run in with Megumi, he returned to the dorm and did some minor practice work in the kitchen before heading out to shadow that spice bastard again. In the midst of following his regular flow however, was a feeling he had been unable to shake since he ran into Megumi. The memory of her eyes taking in the sight of him, as if she could just about see inside his head left him feeling rather unnerved. He wasn't accustomed to being _seen_. As Lady Alice's assistant he barely registered on anyone's radar. Even when he was alone at Toutsuki, no one ever really noticed him. He reserved all his passion for the kitchen, meaning he often came across as lazy or laidback outside of it. Most of the students had written him off until he set foot on the competitive stage. Then they became afraid of him and steered clear. But in that moment, when Megumi looked at him, he felt none of those things. She looked at him like she was on the cusp of understanding him; how he thought and how he felt.

To say it made him feel uneasy was an understatement. It's not that he actively cultivated mystique or was trying to maintain a facade. He had been a child the last time someone saw through his front. Few and far between were the people who took the time to read him. Naturally, Alice stood to the top of that incredibly short list. They had been together long enough that her knowing smirks could never get under his skin. The folks at the fish market saw saw bits here and there but if they saw through him they never said. Megumi, with her guileless appearance, studied him openly. Even as his hackles rose and he tried to defend against his own vulnerability and uncertainty, her eyes never left him. Her gaze raked over every inch of his face in a way that no spotlight ever could. Despite her own confusion, he could see it. A faint light of recognition, of understanding, going off behind her eyes. He stopped sharpening his knife. The sudden lack of background noise left the kitchen deathly quiet. Typically the quiet wouldn't bother him, but today it only served to amplify the thoughts already in his head. He packed the knives away and tidied the rest of the kitchen before exiting in a huff. In such a brief time it felt like everything was unravelling, and he wasn't sure that was a good thing.

* * *

Megumi played it cool. From the moment Ryou turned to leave until that morning when her eyes peeled open she had done nothing but play it cool. Surely, she thought, she had reached her limit. A vision of Ryou crossed her mind, unbidden. She could see, almost as if he were standing before her, his clenched jaw and the uncertainty dancing behind his crimson eyes. The smooth skin of his face looked less tan than she remembered but she wasn't sure if it was because of the contrast from his darkening his undereye bags or because he was spending more time indoors. Even in that state he looked imposing, his features seemingly cut from granite.

She sharply exhaled and slapped her cheeks lightly to break the hold he had on her mind. This wasn't the time for her to lose her train of thought. This was the time to focus. After he asked her to make noodles, the rest of the day seemed to pass in a blur. Not that anyone seemed to notice. They were all busy doing their own thing, at least enough for an unusually flustered Megumi to slink past. She hoped she would be so lucky today, but it didn't quite work out.

First, she ran into Souma, literally. As she left her room, she collided with something solid and warm. The impact jolted her, leaving her disoriented until strong arms gripped her upper arm.

"Ah! Megumi I didn't see you there."

She blinked as the voice registered in her brain.

"Souma...kun?"

She opened her eyes to find his face distressingly close to her own. His eyes sparkled as his face came further into focus, in stark contrast to the dark circles developing under his eyes. She flushed violently at their closeness, backing out of his grip. He let her go reluctantly, embarrassment and concern written all over his face.

"I wasn't looking where I was going. You alright?"

She nodded dumbly, smiling weakly at his relieved expression. The sudden absence of his body close to hers left her feeling cold. His scent lingered in her nose. And those dark circles under his eyes...

"Ahh! I...I have to go!" she squeaked out quickly. The sound of her hurried footsteps on the stairs drowned out his reply.

She thought she could regain her composure at the fish market. That was until her eyes made four with her smirking fisherman friends.

"That's quite the haul you've got there," Hitomi said in lieu of a standard greeting, "looks like someone has plans for dinner." Her tone was playful but suggestive. Megumi smiled awkwardly, trying not to overthink what she may have been insinuating.

"Don't pay attention to her, she saw you and Ryou-kun chatting and let her imagination run away with her." Sanosuke's voice had a clear tone of exasperation.

"It's only a joke. It's not like I said you two were going on a date!"

Megumi froze. Almost instantly an image formed in her mind. Her, blushing feverishly as he crowded her personal space. His face dangerously close to her own. Firm hands on her upper arm. The warmth of his firm body as it closer to her own.

"Megumi-chan? Are you ok?"

The sound of her name broke her out of her reverie and she smiled awkwardly at the pair. They looked at each other, a thousand questions evident on their faces.

"Y-yeah. Well, I really should get going." her voice sounded shrill and nervous. She took off before they began to pry further. When she returned to the dorm, she avoided Ryoko and Yuki like the plague. She was barely holding it together and she still had to actually cook with Ryou later.

When the coast was clear, she snuck back to the kitchen to start packing up her produce. She kept an eye out for her dorm mates, spooked by the run ins she had so far for the day. Normally she wouldn't be phased by Souma bulldozing right through her. It was how a lot of their interactions started, even from the beginning. But she was so flustered about cooking with - or was it for? - Ryou that her frayed nerves made a big deal out of a normal occurrence. Souma running into her. The fishermen teasing her. If she was this hopeless on something that was decidedly not a date,there was no hope for her love life, she thought with a sigh. She was half way through packing some shellfish into her basket when Isshiki entered the kitchen humming a cheery tune to himself. He was wearing his normal loin cloth and boots, covered in a thin sheen of sweat which suggested he had been out gardening. Megumi watched him with keen eyes as he poured himself a glass of water, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Content that she wouldn't be interrupted, she continued packing.

"What's all this then?" Isshiki's voice suddenly behind her made her shriek. She turned, breathing hard and staring at her upperclassman with wide eyes.

"Ah! Sorry to have startled you Megumi-chan. You weren't out in the garden today and I was wondering what my precious junior could be up to, squirreling away food in the kitchen all by herself." As always, his tone was even and his countenance radiant and cheery. She took a deep breath and straightened herself out.

"I was just...taking some stuff to Alice's house. To cook." Isshiki nodded, seemingly unphased by her statement. He stood next to her, watching her pack away some more fish.

"I didn't realise you and Alice were so close," he noticed the way she froze briefly before resuming packing.

"Ah...yes, well." He smiled to himself at her response. Megumi had always been a terrible liar, but seeing the tension that hummed through her body he decided against pushing her further.

"So how will you be getting there? A fancy limo perhaps?"

She shook her head. "I'll be making my way there..."

She jumped suddenly, her eyes fixed on Isshiki as she remembered something crucial.

"I...I don't know where Nagiri-san lives." He hummed, a thoughtful noise, bringing his glass to his lips for a sip of water.

"Well I think Souma-kun and her assistant were going to Hayama's place today. He could always take you back to her place from there."

"Oh, I suppose I could do that." She seemed unsettled by the idea but nodded all the same. "Thank you senpai."

Isshiki smiled at her, patting her gently on her head before turning to leave.

"Anything for my precious junior. Have fun!"

Megumi waved him farewell before picking up her bag and heading out to Hayama's. It didn't take her too long, and she did better at remembering how to get there than she expected. She rang the doorbell, expecting Hayama or his mentor to open it. Instead, the door swung open as Souma and Ryou were forced outside by a flustered Hayama. The door slammed unceremoniously in their faces.

"Tomorrow same time, Hayama?" Souma shouted. A muffled shout of "Leave me alone!" sounded from behind the door and Souma grinned to himself. He turned to say something to Ryou but noticed Megumi standing on the landing with them.

"What are you doing _here_?" Ryou said, his face bent with mild confusion. Souma watched the two of them keenly, not missing the implication that Ryou was expecting to see her. Megumi snuck a peak at Souma and flushed, as if embarrassed, before answering.

"I-I..." a deep breath, "I don't know where Alice lives so I came here to look for you."

Ryou made a face but nodded, following her logic. He stretched lightly before assuming his normal relaxed posture.

"You should have said something before."

"I know. But I didn't realise until today."

"Oh!" Souma interjected "You guys were gonna do some cooking practice together, huh" Megumi nodded and Ryou looked at Souma as if he was an idiot. "Mind if I tag along?"

Megumi looked to Ryou instead of answering, noticing the slight frown on his face.

"Yes. Lady Alice will be joining us and our kitchen isn't big enough to handle so many people." Megumi tried not to look surprised at the mention of Alice's name. Not noticing her reaction, Souma nodded, his expression equally pensive and sorrowful.

"That sucks. Megumi is a really good cook so I know you guys are gonna enjoy it." Megumi smiled shyly at his comment. Ryou nodded in agreement, eyes watching the two of them keenly. Souma, oblivious to his gaze, clapped a hand on Megumi's shoulder before taking his leave.

"See you back at the dorm!"

"Bye Souma-kun."

Ryou tipped his head in a silent farewell before bending to take Megumi's bag from her. He pulled his phone out and began texting before walking away wordlessly, leaving Megumi to follow him. He set a fairly languid pace so it wasn't hard for her to catch up. Unsure of what to say she kept her head down, aimlessly stroking one of her braids. Their walk was quiet and somewhat awkward. She tried all day to avoid talking about her evening plans with Ryou only to run into Souma - of all people - when she had just about gotten away with it. In typical Souma fashion, he didn't seem to think anything odd about Megumi spending time with Ryou. Though, now that she thought about it, Ryou mentioning Alice may have had something to do with it.

"I...I didn't know Alice was going to be with us today."

"She isn't."

"Eh?! But you said..."

"I said that to get him out of my hair. He'd just insert himself into the evening otherwise."

"I see."

It made sense. Souma was relentless and would possibly have followed them all the way back then stayed if he knew the truth. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if it was three of them. Souma, she knew and could talk to. He could fill the silence that settled between them with lively chatter. But she wasn't sure how she felt about Souma knowing that it was only going to be the two of them. She wasn't even sure what difference it would have made if he knew. It wasn't like they were dating or he had feelings for her that could be ruined by the revelation. And yet, she found herself uncomfortable with the idea of him knowing that she was going to be spending time with Ryou alone. She was uncomfortable with anyone knowing, because they were likely to get the wrong idea about what was going on. She remembered the comments Yuki and Ryoko made during the Autumn Elections. If it got out that she was spending time alone with Ryou, she was sure she would never live it down. Her eyes flicked over to Ryou, who walked almost shoulder to shoulder with her. Other than their previous conversation he had hardly said anything. He had hardly paid her attention either. Perhaps their walk had not been as awkward as she thought. The quiet may have been a good time for her to clear her head, if she hadn't been so busy projecting her own doubts into it. They continued walking like that for some time, Ryou quietly setting the pace beside her and Megumi buried in her own thoughts.

"We're here." She looked up at the mansion before her. It was pretty much what she expected. White. Pristine. Large. She followed him up the steps, waiting patiently as he fished out his keys and unlocked the massive door. He stepped aside so that she could enter first, walking in behind her and closing the door. It was oddly quiet for such a large door. She waited to follow him once more, this time to the kitchen. Just as before, he opened the door and allowed her in before shutting it behind himself. She was thrown off by his chivalry, though she supposed being Alice's right hand it would be second nature for him. She turned her focus to the kitchen they would be working in. Instead of a homely, domestic kitchen she was confronted by a spacious room filled with industrial equipment for every process she could possibly of and then some. She almost had to laugh at the idea of their kitchen not being big enough to accommodate Souma. Their kitchen was large enough to accommodate all of the Polar Star Dorm if they wanted. With space to spare.

Ryou set the produce down at the far end of the room. The set up was not dissimilar to that of the Autumn Election stage. Unlike most of the other equipment, the machinery here showed signs of frequent use. She could see it was the home of many a keen battle between Alice and Ryou. She dragged her fingertips across the countertops as she walked past, marvelling at all the things he had access to. She wondered idly if that was the difference between them; not only his boundless passion but the sheer scope of things he had access to for practice. And yet, that still wouldn't explain why he brought her here.

"Are you ready?" the cool tones of his voice broke through her thoughts immediately. She honestly wasn't sure what the answer to that question was. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest and her head was swirling with too many thoughts. But she looked him in the eye and she nodded.

"Yes."

"Good. Then let's begin."


End file.
